


Planet Booty

by Dandelly



Series: Prompts [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Booty Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26566165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandelly/pseuds/Dandelly
Summary: For the longest time, Harry has had a crush on his handsome commanding officer but never even thought on acting upon it. Luckily for him, B'Elanna takes it on herself to play Voyager's resident cupid, albeit in a very unconventional way that possibly involves an old bet and getting Chakotay in some very short pants.Will Harry be able to resist the scantily clad cheeks or will the temptation prove too much for him.
Relationships: Chakotay/Harry Kim
Series: Prompts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1632457
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Stumble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [weedcorndog](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weedcorndog/gifts).



> My friend and I agreed that Harry is honestly aged up and Chakotay is a bit aged down, because even though there are no weird power dynamics between the two, we felt more comfortable with them having a less significant age gap.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Harry recalls how the whole “mess” started in the first place and chooses to remember things a bit differently.

_With a bright, hearty smile Ensign Harry Kim flops down into his cushions, his stomach an overflowing bulk of butterflies, fidgeting and swirling around, while his heart happily pounds away in his chest. And even though he lies there alone, nobody else there to warm his bed, he couldn’t be happier about how these last days have turned out.  
So with a blissful sigh, he closes his tired eyes and relishes in the memories before the night finally pulls him in._

* * *

To say Harry entered the mess hall with a spring in his step was probably an understatement.  
He seemed to radiate pure contentment, a soft blush on his cheeks, and a small smile tugging at the corner of his lip.  
You could call it the perfect picture of a happy Ensign.  
Of course, his scheming demon of a friend, Tom, immediately picked up on it, softly elbowing B’Elanna next to him and nodding towards Harry’s general direction.  
The three of them had made a habit out of eating lunch together whenever possible, sharing their work stories, chitchatting about the latest gossip or, much to Harry’s detriment, talking about his newest romantic endeavors, or lack thereof.  
So when Harry made his way over to them, it came to no surprise, that they were already snickering and throwing him dirty looks.  
Inwardly bracing himself for the ruthless comments and quips about to come, he sat down next to them, hoping to at least be able to enjoy his food.  
  
He hadn’t even picked up his fork yet, when B’Elanna opened her mouth: “Soo, how did the training session go, hm? Had a lot of fun?”  
“It must have been a very sweaty, messy practice round if you went to take a cold shower right after.”, Tom added with a wiggle of his eyebrows.  
Of course, B’Elanna couldn’t stop there: “Harry, is that a new Cologne you put on? Hmm, what a fresh and sweet smell. Whatever could be the reason behind that decision?”  
Harry would not have been surprised if horns had grown out of their heads right then and there, with how much they enjoyed torturing him like this.  
“Listen …” He started, but quickly hesitated, trying to find a smart retort.  
“Oh, we are listening intently.”, B’Elanna said, followed by Tom’s “Very much so.”  
“You two are like sharks, I swear.” That comment only earned him more giggles from his friends, so he continued.  
“I just thought that it was time to try something new. Just because we are stuck in the Delta Quadrant doesn’t mean, I have to give up on looking and smelling my very best.” He shot Tom a pointed look at that, before addressing the elephant in the room.  
“I’m due for a shift on the bridge in an hour, and standing next to the Captain, smelling like Tom after five minutes of workout simply won’t do.”  
As expected, Tom took the bait immediately.  
“Excuse ME, it’s not my fault that the Paris family simply has a strong, musky odor, we-“ Without hesitation, B’Elanna put her hand on his mouth and focused her attention back on Harry, while Tom was left struggling against the Klingon death grip.

“Nice try, Starfleet. But we both know that in reality, you take that jasmine deodorant with you to training, ever since… ah yeah Tom, remind me again, since when.”  
Of course, _now_ she was letting him talk.  
As dignified as possible, Tom smoothed out his uniform, took a deep breath, and continued as if nothing had happened: “Ever since, oh yeah, Chakotay took over the combat training from Tuvok. Now, I don’t know about you Lieutenant Torres, but could there be a temporal causality to this?”  
  
With a weak “Please.” Harry tried to prevent the discussion from going down that path again, but they all knew that it was inevitable.  
  
“Why, Lieutenant Paris! I must concur! I might even have to add that our dear Ensign here has doubled his attendance since Tuvok left the weekly sessions. There could even be an attempt to make it to advanced training which, remind me again, is held by whom?”  
If he hadn’t known it better, he would have thought, that they had rehearsed the last bit just to torment him even more.  
In unison, they swung towards him and exclaimed: “Chakotay!”  
A few heads turned at the sudden pitch in noise, curious as to what the ruckus was about.  
Tom and B’Elanna burst into laughter with poor Harry trying to burrow himself further into his chair, too embarrassed about his friends to face the other guests.

“Guys, can you please tone it down a bit? There is no need to be so excited about nothing.”  
“Nothing?!”, now it was time for Tom to get annoyed. “Harry, you’ve been circling around Chakotay for how long now? It is honestly getting a bit ridiculous. I always knew you were careful, but I didn’t think you were that much of a chicken.”  
“Hey!”  
“He’s right Harry, you can’t swoon and pine forever. You have to act on it someday, either way or another.” Regardless of the constant teasing, Harry was sure, that at that moment B’Elanna only wanted the best for him. Well. In her own way.  
When she continued, he could hear a warmth in her voice, that hadn’t been there before: “You’re constantly denying your little crush on him, even though there is nothing to be ashamed of. He is a good-looking man, I give you that, and a caring Commander.”  
Confronted with B’Elanna’s honesty, all Harry could do was jitter in his seat, unsure of what to answer and what to hide away.  
  
He was happy that she thought of his infatuation with the older man as a mere crush, a fleeting hormonal feeling that would soon be extinguished in the cold reality of their ranks. He almost laughed at that. He was just an Ensign, young and inexperienced. In his mind, easily overseen or forgotten, not even outstanding enough to be promoted.  
But whenever he was with Chakotay, he felt a bit different.  
He felt important, felt like somebody wanted to listen to him because he **knew** what he was doing. Because he was **good** at his job. Because he **was** special.  
He felt like an interesting person, more than just Tom’s funny sidekick. (Not that he minded the holo-adventures that much.)  
So no, to him, this was not _just_ a crush, even though deep down he wished, he could just file it away to never be talked about again.  
  
“He’s not that hot.”  
With a sigh Harry shook off his thoughts, noticing how long he was gone and asking Tom to repeat himself with a very eloquent “Wha?”  
“I mean, it’s not just me, right? He is not _that_ hot.”  
“Well …” Now it was Harrys and Toms turn to look in bewilderment as B’Elanna continued: “Don’t mistake this for anything! I’m not _into_ Chakotay, I am just appreciating his looks. It’s the same way I look at the new warp core stabilizers the Benaens tried to foist on us. They are pleasing to the eye, maybe even functional, but nevertheless totally incompatible with Voyager and I would rather chop off my own two hands than to have them integrated into my ship.”  
Confused Tom took one long look at B’Elanna and asked: “So is the ship synonymous for your-“  
This time Harry shut Tom up with putting his hand over his friend's chatty mouth and going by the death glare B’Elanna shot the helmsman, Harry hadn’t been a second too early.  
  
Although Tom had done nothing but tease Harry about the whole situation, the Ensign begrudgingly took the fall for his friend, distracting B’Elanna in order for her to hopefully forget, what Tom had been trying to insinuate.  
“I agree.”, Harry sighed defeatedly, “He **is** rather good looking.”  
With that, the attention was back on him and even though it didn’t feel completely right, he couldn’t stop himself from gushing over Chakotay. “Today he showed us how to safely free yourself from a Cardassian chokehold - you know the extra tail really adds some difficulties - and I couldn’t stop looking at his arms.”  
“Forget his arms, have you seen his thighs?” With a laugh B’Elanna leaned back, satisfied with having rendered Harry into a stammering, blushing mess. Next to him, Tom tried not to die on the breadcrumbs he just violently inhaled.  
Her laugh was positively evil, and seeing Harry trying to regain his composure only fuelled her more.  
“Oh, I wish you were there when he lost that bet to that traitorous leech Seska and had to walk around in those absurd shorts she made for him. The moon never shone so brightly on our little Maquis operation again.  
You could say, he really lifted the crew morale from top to _bottom_.”  
All Harry managed was a weak eye-roll, his supposed annoyance betrayed by the fact that he was still blushing furiously, while Tom, on the other hand, managed to breathe normally again.  
Not that he had anything important to contribute.

“Hey Harry, just imagine Chakotay turning up in those shorts everybody used to wear in the Academy! That would be a sight, huh?”  
_Oh, God_. _It would_. In his mind, the picture of the Commander in those tight Starfleet issued shorts popped up and Harry immediately could feel his cheeks becoming warmer.  
With a final glare towards the giggling Tom, Harry gathered his tablet, ready to stand up and leave his bickering friends to themselves, when Tom tried a final joke on him.  
“Oh hey, Commander! Do you want to sit with us?”  
All Harry could muster was a weak response, not even interested in humoring his friends by turning around to see, if the Commander had actually entered the room.  
“Haha, so very funny. This is literally the oldest gag in the book. See you on the bridge.”  
Before any of them could further say anything, he (elegantly) whirled around, only to be stopped midway by a burly chest.  
With an indignant huff, he bounced back a little, already losing his balance and the contents of his tablet, when two strong arms shot forward to catch him mid-tumble.  
Surprised he looked upwards at the person still holding him and directly into Commander Chakotay’s startled yet kind face, two brown eyes staring back at him.

* * *

_And as Harry reminisces in his memories, drooling into his pillow, the reality of the incident tries to wiggle its way back into his dream. The reality of sauce on his and Commander Chakotay’s uniform, both of them tumbling down and Harry wishing for a hull breach to vent him out then and there.  
  
But maybe if he hadn’t been so preoccupied with feeling embarrassed for himself and avoiding any direct glances at Chakotay, he would have noticed the small grin on the other man’s face or the way he had cushioned their fall, to make sure Harry wasn’t hurt.  
But the humiliation had been too much the bear, so he had quickly helped Chakotay up, showered him in apologies and excuses, and fled the mess hall in a hurry to get changed._


	2. Strike a Pose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Harry returns to the weird dream he had some nights ago and gets ready for his free day.

_The first thing he notices after properly waking up is the puddle of drool that had formed itself under his gaping mouth in the night. Mildly disgusted he turns around to the other side and opts for ignoring that, instead choosing to let his mind wander further.  
He is sure that he had another dumb dream about Chakotay, something about ice cream and dinosaurs, but the details elude him.   
Which, given his track record of weird dreams, might not be the worst thing.  
He wonders, what Chakotay might have to say about the meaning of that. If he would laugh and tease him or if he would think of him as a total weirdo.  
He hopes for the first.  
  
Tired and a bit disorientated the Ensign throws back the covers and decides that now is the time to finally get ready. Of course, there is no rush, not today.  
With a lot more time than usual at his disposal, he goes about perfecting his look, shuffling over to the small bathroom and taking a glimpse at himself in the mirror, clad only in the Captain Proton shorts Tom got him for his birthday.  
With a small, involuntary smile he remembers another dream he had about the Commander.   
Well, just Chakotay then._

* * *

The asteroid they were hiding in was barren, barely big enough for all of them plus their equipment, but somehow they made it work. He was a part of it then, even though the real Harry had never seen a Maquis in person, his dream-self had mysteriously become one of them, living out of sight of both the Federation and the Cardassians, a life on the run.  
A life among a group of hardened, tough rebels not afraid to die for their cause or their fearless leader, who was a man of many virtues and outstanding courage.  
Oh, yes. Fearless, virtuous, and a sight for the heart and the eyes especially.  
Even though Harry was supposed to keep _his_ eyes glued to the proximity meter, he couldn’t help but let them wander, whenever the Commander was around.  
Over the last few days, the heat in their hideout had slowly risen to hardly bearable temperatures and a slight sheen had started to appear on the other man’s bare arms and his face. And Harry just couldn’t stop staring at the muscles moving, whenever Chakotay picked up something or ordered people around. He exuded so much controlled strength and Harry sometimes wondered what else the Commander could pick up with those arms.   
He was sure that it was getting noticeable, definitely out of hand, but Chakotay never said anything.   
Instead, he just kept on working, walking up and down, making sure all the different parts of their little operation functioned the way they should and still being professional while doing so. (And absolutely, unbearably sexy.)  
Only once did he return the stare. A small nod, a smile and then he turned back around.  
But Harry’s heart had jumped and still hours after, the memory of that smile would bring it back to racing speed.

He didn’t think that after that moment, anything could happen to top this, but life seemed to have it out for him.   
One of the squad leaders had assigned him to simple repair work, effectively banishing him to the absolute last corner of the asteroid where they kept some of their damaged ship parts.  
He was trying to fix some of the screws that had gotten loose on some retainers during their escape to the asteroid, but the heat made it hard to get a good grip on them. Everything was greasy and he kept losing his hold, so by the time he should have normally taken a break he was still trying to work things out.   
Many of the crewmembers didn’t much care for their newcomer, so him missing at lunch wasn’t a big deal.  
Yet somehow Chakotay must have noticed his absence. Well, that’s what Harry deducted anyway since he couldn’t find any other good reason for the Commander to suddenly be standing behind him.  
He was so focused on his task, that he hadn’t even realized the presence next to him until Chakotay softly laid his hand on Harry’s left shoulder.  
With a yelp, he jerked up, but quickly caught himself before he could make the situation even more embarrassing.  
The reward of his small outburst was a soft giggle and a pat on his shoulder as Chakotay retreated a bit and said: “I’m sorry - Harry, was it? - I didn’t want to disturb you, but I didn’t see you eat anything today, so I just wanted to make sure, that you take care of yourself.”

“A-ah, don’t worry! I’m fine, I just need to get these retainers fixed for our next scouting flight, but uhm, the screw won’t, uhm, it won’t tighten.” To underline his struggle, he tried to turn the screwdriver once more, but slid off yet again and gave up after that. Normally he wouldn’t allow his quick temper to get the better of him like that, but the increasing heat and thick air had gotten to him, leaving him tired and angry and useless.  
He felt even more ashamed with Chakotay right next to him, watching him struggle and experiencing how he let his emotions get the better of him, but he just couldn’t help it.  
So Harry let go of the screwdriver and leaned back defeated, aware that the calm eyes of his superior followed his every move, probably questioning if he had made the right choice by accepting the young man into the resistance.  
But no.  
With a snort Chakotay sat back on his heels and smiled at Harry: “The heat really makes it all 1o times harder, huh. But I think, with a bit of teamwork, we can get this stubborn thing fixated.”  
One look at Harry’s furrowed brow, however, made Chakotay re-evaluate his plans and so he instead proposed to return to the lunch table, together. “After the break, we’ll take another look at it, but for now you need to get something into your system.”  
With a surprisingly strong grip, he yanked the smaller man up to his feet and laid his arm around Harry’s shoulder, softly but steadily directing him towards the lunch tables.  
If it was anybody else, Harry might have protested, but why was he to object, with his crush “carrying” him away like that.   
A bit ungraceful they slumped down together, close enough to be almost touching skin and yet too far for Harry’s liking. How he still managed to somehow maintain a proper conversation during the whole meal was a miracle.  
It was torture, sitting so close to this man, being able to take in every detail of his face as it changed through the different emotions, feeling the faint warmth radiating from his body as he moved and gestured and all the while having to pretend like he wasn’t head over heels for him.   
Oh, how he would have loved to just close his eyes and listen to the calmness of his voice.

All in all, Harry had had the impression that he was rather unsuspicious while talking to Chakotay, yet after he had left the table, Seska immediately turned towards her old friend, smiling from ear to ear, ready to lay in on him.  
“What?” His tone was slightly aggravated, already suspecting where this little chat was headed.  
“Oh come on, Chakotay! Even you can’t be this blind. He **clearly** likes you!”, Seska’s voice was dripping with malicious glee, relishing in his irritation and enjoying having him on the spot like this.  
He shot her a glare, not even giving her the time and instead opted for simply standing up from the table, ready to leave. But Seska wasn’t done yet.  
“How about a bet?”  
The question hung in the air, heavy with promise, and both of them knew, that he couldn’t resist. The tediousness of their assignment, the lacking group morale, and the possibility to get back at Seska made the bet all too appealing.  
With just enough of dramatic flair he slowly turned around, raised an eyebrow, and waited.  
“Don’t you want to find out just how much he likes you?”  
“Seska… “  
“Come on, it’s just a little bit of harmless fun.”  
“Why would you care about who Harry likes? Hm? What might be your gain in this?”  
Her smile reminded Chakotay of an alligator, ready to tear into him. It made him uneasy and reminded him of the underlying suspicion that eventually was the downfall of their relationship.  
“Spit it out, what do you want?” It was a dumb question, he already knew that in the end, he was the one, who would be the butt of the joke.  
“You’re so intensely denying Harry’s crush on you, I guess you could even bet against it.”, her eyes twinkled with mischief as she said it, but Chakotay’s mind was racing.  
In order to make fun of him, she would drag poor Harry into this, the newby, who already had a hard time getting used to the new surroundings.   
Imagining the others laughing at the handyman and gossiping behind his back just because he was in Seska’s way, made Chakotay’s heart ache in a way, that he’d rather not think too much about.  
He could not let that happen.  
“I have no interest in ridiculing Harry in front of the whole team, just because you want to have a laugh or two. You never know when to stop with your cruel jokes.”  
He was trying to not let her notice how much he cared about Harry not being her victim, but it was a losing battle, she knew him too well. And in the end, it was so very apparent, that besides what he wanted to tell himself, Harry also meant a bit to him.  
  
He could as well have rolled on his back and exposed his belly, that’s how easy he made it.  
“Fine, fine. We don’t need to bet on it then. I mean, I’m probably not the only one who has noticed little Harry’s infatuation with you, so I think the bet wouldn’t even be that interesting, to begin with.”  
Ah, so this was how she was gonna play it.   
Smiling, she continued: “I think, a little workspace romance could really improve the overall morale, maybe I should ask B’Elanna what she thinks about all of this.”

The air hung heavy between them, Seska knowing she had the better cards and Chakotay fiercely thinking about how to get out of this with minimal damage.  
But minimal damage for whom.  
With a long-drawn sigh, he finally caved in: “There has to be a better way to boost the group morale.”  
She had won and she knew it.  
“Oh, I have _some_ ideas.”  
He would have lost the bet anyway, so he could just give her what she wanted.

Harry was again lost in thought. It was the retainer once more and he was getting nowhere. Chakotay was supposed to take a look at it again, but so far, Harry had troubled himself alone with this.  
To be honest, he didn’t even want to be done before his commander came, so really, his heart was not in it. Just the idea of both of them working together, _closer_ together, made his ears burn.  
He was so focused that he didn’t notice the hushed whispers echoing through the tunnels, soon turning into giggles and then outright laughter. Some brave soul even had the audacity to whistle.  
  
As before, it took a soft touch on his shoulder to make him realize that he wasn’t alone anymore.  
When Harry absentmindedly turned around, he suddenly felt like lightning had struck him. Nothing could have ever prepared him for this, and to be fair, maybe he wouldn’t have wanted that anyway.

Before him stood Chakotay, wearing the same white, dirtied tank top he already wore at dinner, combined with the usual Maquis boots, not quite shiny anymore but still functional, topped off by -  
by …  
by what Harry could have only described as “Booty Shorts”.  
Although he wasn’t exactly transfixed by the “Booty” part of it right now, so to say, since that part was facing the other way.  
Before he could recover from the first shock, B’Elanna called out to Chakotay and their “fearless” leader had to turn around for a quick moment leading to Harry truly seeing it all.  
The red cloth barely covered what it should, leaving a hint of tantalizing flesh to the beholder, before the eyes got drawn away by the big white letters spelling out “Booty Planet” all over the beautiful roundness of Chakotay’s behind.   
It was simply too much.  
Poor Harry couldn’t handle all of it and his body decided for him, that ending this dream now was the only choice left before his heart was going to give out on him.

* * *

_So he wakes up. The last picture on his mind is his imagination of Chakotay’s ass in booty shorts because apparently he isn’t only crushing on his Commander but also a huge pervert._

_Days afterwards the dream still haunts him, tinting his cheeks a slight red with the memory.  
But it also makes him giggle.  
Something so wild, only his imagination could come up with it.  
And yet…_


	3. Treat my body right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Harry finally leaves for his next training session and thinks back about the last time he sparred with Chakotay.

_Towel?  
Check.  
Water bottle?  
Check.  
Jasmine deodorant?  
Double checked and a dab under the armpits._

_Satisfied, Harry closes his duffel bag, takes one last look in the mirror, and leaves his quarters with the giddy anticipation of a man with a crush.  
B’Elanna’s teasing words are still fluttering around in his brain, but the closer he gets to the holodeck, where Chakotay holds the sparring sessions, the less he cares.  
His brain has only two thoughts left.  
_Will he like the present???? _  
and  
_ Oh my god, I can’t believe this is happening!!! _  
So as he tries to both dodge other crew members and keep his cool, he falls back to his favorite coping mechanism as of late.  
Remembering._

* * *

He was excited. Again.  
It seemed that it was now his predominant emotion whenever Chakotay was around and today started no different.   
At least he somehow got used to his heart beating faster and the constant rumble in his belly, that came from the everpresent fear of fucking up during the combat sessions.  
Which would probably happen less, if he paid closer intention to the actual lesson, instead of, well, daydreaming about Chakotay.  
He didn’t WANT to daydream, quite the contrary, he wanted to overachieve, make Chakotay see, that Harry wasn’t just a Starfleet issued smallfry, that he was capable of developing new skills. But his voice was just so soothing, his body language calm and focused, his -  
“Harry?”  
Urks.  
  
This time when Chakotay _actually_ laid his hand on Harry’s shoulder it was anything but a dream.   
“Is anything alright? You seem a bit distracted. This isn’t still about the cafeteria incident, is it?”  
There was a hint of concern in his voice, mixed with his usual friendliness.  
Before the silence became awkward, Harry came up with an excuse, smiling weakly at Chakotay:   
“N-no, I’m fine, really! I just, uhm, thought about a problem in our route that’s been on my mind for some days now. I’m sorry, I should have paid attention.”  
As if to calm Harry a little, Chakotay patted him on the shoulder reassuringly, squeezed a bit, and exclaimed: “Oh, don’t worry about that. You’re one of my best pupils, I know that you’ll keep up. I just …” he thought for a second, before continuing seemingly sheepish, “I just, wanted to make sure that you were okay.”  
There was something between them for a second. The feeling of timidness and unsureness, a carefully constructed barrier shaken, before the moment passed on.  
They both coughed, slightly embarrassed, and looked away until Harry cleared his throat again and held on to Chakotay’s arm appreciative.  
“Don’t worry, Commander. You know ME. My head is always full of… stuff and new tech, haha.” Even for him, that had sounded like a half-baked excuse.  
But to his luck, Chakotay seemed to sense his unease and dropped the subject, albeit not before giving him one last calculating glance.  
“Well, time to clear your head a bit. Get warmed up and then we start training that Cardassian chokehold again.”

This. Is. THE WORST SITUATION.  
The thought aggressively shot through Harry’s mind before he decided to stop thinking entirely and instead focused on solving his problem.  
But how was he supposed to concentrate on that, when his brain chose this very moment to edge the current experience into his memory.   
He could feel Chakotay’s hot breath on his left ear, strained and pushed out in short bursts due to the high intensity of his physical exhaustion, a sure sign, that Harry was doing something right.  
The other man’s body was tightly pressed against Harry’s, his legs entwined with the Ensign’s to secure him in place, while he held the younger man in a vicious chokehold. The makeshift holographic and very Cardassian tail wrapped around Harry’s midriff, squeezing steadily and successfully rendering him unable to breathe deeply into his belly.  
All in all a very challenging and, well physical situation, not helped by the fact, that he could feel Chakotay’s whole body hugging against his own.  
B’Elanna hadn’t been lying about the muscle on those thighs.  
 _God, Harry stop. Don’t!  
_ The sensation was getting out of hand, he couldn’t focus on the things Chakotay had taught him, his mind and body too preoccupied with _other_ parts of his opponent, while his lungs slowly ran out of air.  
 _Think heterosexual thoughts.  
  
_ With his last bit of energy left, he fiercely conjured the mental image of the EMH confessing his love to yet another holographic woman and the resulting cringe slowly brought him back to the problem at hand. Well, rather the two strong hands currently being his problem.  
If he was to get out of his, he had to follow one of Chakotay’s own mottos: **Strike smart and efficient.**  
With his legs incapacitated, all he was left with were his hands, which presently flailed around helplessly, grasping at Chakotay’s arms. If he were to try and focus on the Commander’s weak spots like eyes and throat, the Cardassian tail would come in, surely wrapping around his arms neatly and immobilizing them. So instead of recklessly going in, he had to anticipate and use that moment.

In one swift motion, he brought his right arm up, crashing his hand directly into Chakotay’s exposed auricle (the one that wasn’t pressed to Harry’s head) causing the Commander to jerk his head up for one quick second in which Harry’s left hand went for the other man’s throat.   
It was a mean thing really. Had he not been substantially weakened, he might have been able to pull it off. But in his exhausted condition, he was no match for Chakotay, who easily closed the gap between his bare throat and Harry’s head and shielded himself from the attack.

The rebuttal came swiftly. Chakotay brought up his holographic tail, able to catch one of Harry’s hands in a tight constriction and effectively cutting off any chance of freedom.  
Unable to reach anything with his other hand, Harry resorted to a rather nasty trick and began tickling Chakotay’s exposed side.  
He was rewarded with amused laughter by his opponent, whose low chuckle wandered directly from Harry’s ear to the rest of his body, filling him with pure serotonin, despite the obvious loss.

Without any further hesitation, Chakotay completely released the Ensign in his grasp, still giggling at the dirty trick the younger man tried to pull on him. With a bit of regret, Harry rolled off the muscular body under him and took a moment to gather his breath on the patted ground.  
The others around them were still locked in their respective struggles for freedom, so Harry and Chakotay actually had, for once, a moment for themself.  
Still out of breath, they both looked at each other and exchanged toothy grins, huffing and puffing, but nevertheless delighted.   
“I *huff* never knew *gasp* that you could-… tickle your *huff* self out of a … chokehold.”  
There was no anger or disappointment in Chakotay’s voice, only glee and humor, so Harry relished in the knowledge that he had made the Commander laugh, before answering.  
“Well-, you never *phew* know, wh-what could help. I just *pant* had to try.”  
They continued snickering, now splayed on the ground next to each other.  
Harry was aware that Chakotay would soon regain his breath and return to the training, so he tried to enjoy this moment as long as he could.   
  
Both of them just existing close together, each lost in thought.  
Their bodies tentatively close, hands almost touching.  
One moment.

Sadly, it went as quickly as it came.  
With a bit more seriousness, not enough to lose the humorous twinkle in his eyes, Chakotay turned towards the Ensign.  
“Listen, Harry. I know that you had a lot on your mind today, so I can’t really blame you for not getting out of that chokehold. But I think you have a lot of promise and I want to bring that out.”  
Harry was listening attentively now, directing all his willpower away from the image of panting Chakotay and on to the compliment he just received.  
“You have a strong sense of commitment and I think it’s time to build up on that. With you, I feel like some personal sessions to assess your current skill could be very helpful in your future training.”  
 _Wait_.  
Harry had to rewind that in his mind.  
Did he just hear personal training sessions?  
“Wait, do you mean like- just…-“  
“Just you and me.” Was there a hint of uncertainty in Chakotay’s voice? “I mean, I know that spending time with your commanding officer can be a bit weird, but I had the feeling that you might profit from these focused solo sessions. But I also understand if that isn’t what you feel comfortable with.”

_Solo sessions. Just him and me._

The idea both sparked joy and anxiety.   
What if Chakotay would get bored with him and his babbling, his self-consciousness, and naivety.   
On the other hand, he greatly enjoyed the Commander’s company and they actually got along pretty well, so maybe he could try to just be himself.  
Besides. Chakotay himself seemed a bit abashed, so maybe this was a good chance for them both to grow more comfortable around each other.  
So with a shaky breath, he accepted.  
The hint of surprise and relief that crossed Chakotay’s features didn’t go unnoticed by Harry and it only strengthened his decision.   
“I will have to move some shifts around and rearrange my downtime a bit, but I’m sure we can make it work.”  
With a tinge of guilt, Harry spoke up. “Please, Commander, I don’t want to compromise your leisure time. I know that you’re already having problems keeping up with your books.”  
Now Harry was sure, that Chakotay almost acted embarrassed, his hand scratching his neck and almost looking away when he said: “Ah, don’t worry. I- well, I don’t- I want to say this training is honestly a lot of fun for me, so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on any spare time.”  
Harry’s snarky remark left his mouth before he could stop himself: “So, you would say that choking out your crewmembers is a favorite past time of yours?”  
His eyes went wide as Chakotay’s cheeks almost lit up with a light blush, sending them both into a stammering contest until **luckily** both their comm badges lit up.

* * *

_In the present Harry has to stop himself from facepalming, while recalling that particular retort. Just the memory is so embarrassing that he wants to jump out of his skin.  
During today’s training, he’s gonna try to keep his mouth shut. Or at least learn how to NOT joke about that kind of stuff with his commanding officer/crush.  
With a small giddy grin, he corrects himself. Not just any training.  
 **Personal training.**  
As that notion settles in, a wave of anxiety wells up and he nervously enters the turbolift, his palms a sweaty mess. He commands the computer to send him downwards to the level the holodeck is on and jolts when the brakes settle in, signaling his arrival on the right deck.  
“I just hope, B’elanna didn’t forget to send that present.”, he mutters to himself, unbeknownst that she indeed did send _a _present, only with slightly different variables as previously specified. There is a bet to win after all and if Harry won’t act in her favor, she has to take matters into her own hands._

_When he finally arrives in front of the holodeck, he’s – to put it lightly – in utter disarray.  
Hair jutting off from all the times he brushed through it, hands sweaty (mum spaghetti) and his uniform crumbled due to his nervous twisting of the fabric. At first, he was sure that he would be able to pull this off, but now, in front of the doors, he suddenly has reservations.  
What if Chakotay thinks he’s not worth the effort? Or worse, boring?   
What if Chakotay truly likes spending time with him? Or worse, finds him funny?  
There is so much happening right now, his head an overflowing volcano of thought and ideas and images that Harry just can’t take it anymore and instead simply pushes through the doors, ready to face anything.  
After all, it’s only combat training, right?_

_He very nearly passes out.  
The stress, the anxiety, and now apparently the unraveling of his mind, it’s all too much, because when he sees Chakotay, he does a double-take, rubs his eyes, and takes a step back.  
“Oh, hey Harry! Right on time!”  
The words take a very long time to register since all Harry can currently focus on, is the real - absolutely not an illusion - red piece of fabric barely covering Chakotay’s nicely shaped ass._


	4. Das Booty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Harry finally gets to see what all the fuss is about and has to admit that all of this might be a bit too much for him.

A minute must have passed already, maybe even more, but Harry is still. Just standing there.  
If he were an android, Chakotay would have joked about overloading his systems, but in all honesty, he wouldn’t have put it past Harry to suddenly start smoking out of his ears, from the intensity of which he blushes.  
The Ensign is at a total loss for words, to put it mildly. His mouth keeps opening and closing, trying to formulate a coherent sentence or even just a word to begin with, while his eyes scan the room for anything to look at BUT Chakotay.  
It’s at this moment, that an uneasiness settles in and a pit opens deep in the Commander’s stomach. Is it that bad? Could he have misjudged the whole situation so massively?  
Oh God, what was he thinking?  
(When he recaps the last days, weeks, and months in his head, really he wasn’t thinking that much at all, with Harry constantly spooking around in his mind.)  
Harry was just being nice, his usual polite self, just a bit sheepish around the Commander, nothing more. And he misread it. Misread it for something else entirely and put the Ensign in this weird, uncomfortable situation.  
  
Chakotay’s mind is racing. There is so much guilt and shame and just unbelievable sadness crashing into him, as he tries to somehow come up with a plan to manoeuver himself and Harry out of this disaster. But none of the jokes and snarky remarks feel appropriate, feel okay, yet he has to say something because all of this becomes even more unbearable.  
How could he have misjudged it all so bad, he keeps thinking.  
  
Chakotay is “saved” by Harry finally regaining enough mental capacity to stutter out some words. “Co-commander. Uhm, I am not sure. I, I’m uh. If this… Maybe I’m. I’m too early? “  
“T-too early?”, Chakotay repeats.  
“Yeah I mean, you seem to uhm. You know, have forgotten to, uh, change into the training outfit.”  
The Ensign gestures vaguely into his direction, still avoiding a direct glance at the red shorts.  
“Oh! I’m. Well.” Chakotay sighs deeply before continuing: “I have to be honest with you. I’m really sorry, this” – he points at his obscenely short pants – “was a dumb joke B’Elanna pulled on me and I thought it would be, uhm, funny to… to… “  
With a defeated shrug of his shoulders, he trails off, not knowing what else to say, since nothing comes close to a good excuse anyway.  
There is a short silence, in which both of them desperately avoid eye contact until Harry suddenly perks up.  
“Wait. Did you say B’Elanna?”  
“Uh, yeah, she sent me these in… your name.”  
“WHAT!” Chakotay flinches at Harry’s unexpected outburst and, perplexed, looks back at the younger man.  
“I’m gonna kill her. I can’t believe she would DO THIS!” Life comes back into Harry’s joints and he starts to pace the room, aggressively gesturing and waving his hands as he exclaims his dismay about the Chief of Engineering.  
  
“Uh Harry, I-“  
“How could she do this, I TRUSTED her. I thought she actually wanted to help me.”  
“Harry, co-.”  
“This is UNBELIEVABLE! Tom has to be in it too! Both of them together of course.”  
“HARRY.”  
The Ensign stops immediately, frozen mid-gesture, and looks at Chakotay, now directing his rage towards him.   
“Listen, Harry. I think I have to clarify some things here before you get even more pissed off than you already are. I’m just. I’m just gonna quickly switch into something less…”  
“Revealing?” The deadpan tone in Harry’s voice, combined with the raised eyebrow, makes Chakotay inwardly shrink a bit, so he hurries off behind a makeshift room divider and slips into his actual training combo.  
When he takes off the shorts, he feels like vanishing into thin air, unable to believe that he honestly thought this was a good joke. A small part of him acknowledges that he has never seen Harry this angry before, but before he can continue down that particular path, he pinches himself and returns to the task at hand.

Upon his return, he notices that the Ensign has projected two chairs and a table for them to sit at, one being currently occupied by Harry.  
With a sigh, Chakotay “flops” down in the other chair and neatly folds his hands, before addressing a still visibly annoyed Harry.  
“Again, I’m sorry. This backfired immensely, but before you put all the blame on B’Elanna I should maybe clear the situation a bit.”  
Harry remains quiet and lets him continue.  
“When the gift arrived in your name, I was surprised. Yet also thrilled to look inside.” At this, a small corner of Harry’s lip twitches for a second, almost breaking into a tiny smile.  
”And when I found the shorts in there,” The shadow of a smile is gone again. ”I of course was very perplexed at first, but since it wasn’t the first time I had received this kind of present, I had an inkling of who was actually behind this.” Now Harry’s brows shoot up again and a small “Oh” forms around his lips.  
“Yeah, B’Elanna doesn’t get that creative with her pranks, so I knew it was her, even though I didn’t properly understand what made her do it this way. It’s not even my birthday, why would you even gift me anything.” At that Chakotay grins, almost a bit timid, before adding: “I shouldn’t have gone with it like that. This clearly made you uncomfortable and I apologize for acting like this, even though I don’t know how I can ever atone for this.”  
  
The air between them isn’t as heavy as before, but there is still uneasiness and regret.  
But when Harry speaks up, Chakotay notices that the anger has given place to a more empathetic, yet saddened tone of voice.  
“You know, as a matter of fact, I think you two went a bit overboard with this. But the worst part of it is that I actually had a nice present prepared for you. And now I don’t know how to salvage that.”  
Chakotay’s heart breaks a little upon hearing this and he feels even more like a senseless asshole now. Harry looks genuinely upset and if he hadn’t acted like such a buffoon, he would move towards the other man and console him.  
However before one of them can go on with the conversation, the faint noise of something being teleported into the room grabs their attention.  
Curious they look at each other, both shrugging in bewilderment as they slowly look around for the source of the sound.  
  
Chakotay finds it first, neatly tucked away in one of the corners of the room.   
With a huff, he picks it up and carries it over to the table, gesturing Harry towards him.  
“Could this be the present you were talking about?”  
It seems like Harry wasn’t prepared for the possibility of Chakotay opening the box in his presence, so the nod he gives the Commander doesn’t turn out that reassuring, but rather unsure of himself.  
“Listen, I don’t think I earned this after what I pulled on you. Maybe you should keep it for now.”  
“No.”  
They look at each other. Look into each other's eyes this time and with a sad sigh, Harry explains: “Yeah, I’m still not that happy with how this turned out. But you didn’t do it, because you wanted to make fun _of_ me. I know B’Elanna has a strange sense of humor, so I expected something to happen, not just something this extraordinaire. I’m not great with stuff like this, I don’t like being the butt of a joke, especially not with someone whose opinion matters so much to me.”  
Harry can see in the softness of Chakotay’s glance, that he is touched by Harry’s confession and the last strand of anger he held on to, falls away with the knowledge that Chakotay seems to care about his opinion.  
“The gift was a “Thank you” for your effort in training me, even going the extra mile with these solo sessions. I asked B’Elanna to help with some of the technical stuff and to be honest, I should have never left her alone with this. I made it way too easy for her.”  
“Yeah, you kind of did.”  
“She can be a real devil when it comes to pulling people’s legs honestly. I just never thought she would ever go this far.”  
“It’s my fault for going with it after all.”  
Harry smiles a little before saying: “Yeah, it is. But I’m willing to forgive you.”  
  
The relief in Chakotay’s sigh is palpable.  
He cocks his head a little to the side and Harry can’t deny that it is one of the cutest things he has seen the other man do.  
“Is there a way to make it up to you?”  
The grin that spreads across Harry’s face is positively devilish as he relishes in the thought of getting back at B’Elanna. “Oh, I have _some_ ideas. But for now, I would like to get some training done. And maybe afterward you can finally look at that present, that so conveniently teleported in here.”  
  
The atmosphere between them lightens up again, with easy remarks and quips, even though a hint of hurt remains in Harry.  
But over the next hour, even that slowly vanishes, as Chakotay takes his time and carefully goes through the exercises with his sparring partner.  
They do some light warm-ups, some easy to manage grabs and evades until they reach the inevitable Cardassian chokehold.  
And as they lay on the ground, Harry again tightly in the Commander's arms, he plays his trump card. Instead of applying the technique, Chakotay told him to do, Harry tries out one of the other ones he studied beforehand, hoping to catch his opponent off guard and impress him.  
  
With a strained effort, he feints an attack towards Chakotay’s head, using the gained momentum to instead angle his elbows into the man’s sides and punctuate the skin under his ribcage.  
The effect hits immediately.  
With a painful exhale, Chakotay’s hold loosens, giving Harry the chance to then ram his head up- and backward into his adversary and completely freeing himself of the hands holding him.   
Swiftly he uses his enemies dizziness to his advantage and wiggles out of the legs entangled with his own, further escaping the chokehold, until only one thing remains.  
The damned Cardassian tail.  
As Harry rolls off Chakotay, he can feel the other man regaining his composure, so he wastes no time and – as he previously learned – strikes the exposed part of his neck, sending the other man into a wild coughing fight. Of course, without the light protective shielding, Chakotay would have probably received some long-lasting damage, but with the added padding the strike lessens to a small painful jab.  
Before the tail can further constrict around Harry’s waist, he takes an accurate punch at the base, hitting the vulnerable nerves there and forcing it to unfasten around him.  
With a final twist, he rolls out of the tails grasp and stands up triumphantly.  
Finally, he did it.

His self-celebration is cut short, however, upon noticing Chakotay slowly (and still slightly coughing) trying to get up. A gentleman that he is, he bends down to help up the loser, not even attempting to hide his shit-eating grin from Chakotay.  
As they touch hands, a small electric jolt passes through them, lightly stemming from all the friction during the fighting, and they both giggle. When Chakotay is finally back up, they can’t bring themself to let go of each other, still grinning, both proud of what Harry achieved today.  
“Hah, seems like the master can still learn something from the pupil.” Harry’s over-confidence is intoxicating, yet Chakotay can’t possibly allow this snide comment to go unanswered.  
“Oh, really?” He answers, quickly moving his leg between Harry’s and tripping the Ensign with a fast lunge in his direction. The action completely catches the man by surprise, nearly sending him sprawling on his ass, if it wasn’t for Chakotay still holding his hand and back.  
Now it’s his turn to smile at the younger man, enjoying the side of Harry dipped backward as if to dance and making a mental image of the red tint that creeps up his cheeks.  
“Ah, well. It seems there are still some things I should uhm, catch up on. Hehe.”   
  
After finishing up with training, they both return to the table and look at the present between them.  
“So…”  
“Yeah, I think you earned it. Take it as a consolation prize for losing against me.”  
Chakotay flashes him a dry glance over the rim of the box but leaves it at that.   
“I can’t believe B’Elanna almost pranked me out of a real present.”  
Curious Harry slightly bends forward. “What’s up with that anyway? How often did she pull that joke on you before?”  
With a roll of his eyes the Commander begins to unwrap the box: “Only once, lucky me. She thought it was a ridiculous way of getting me to- uh, to interact with someone.”  
Delicately he continues to untie the bow and sets the fabric aside to focus on the main wrapping.  
“And how did that turn out back then?”  
“Ugh.” Now it’s Chakotay who tries to look anywhere but Harry’s general direction and the embarrassment in his voice is obvious. So it’s only logical that Harry digs in.  
“Oh?” Tentatively he lays his hand on top of the gift box, making sure Chakotay gets the message.  
“Fine, if you really must know. It went swimmingly. Even if we only stayed together for maybe a month afterward.”  
“Oh!?”  
Harry’s mouth gapes open in shock and he has to blink very hard to ignore the quick images of Chakotay wiggling out of the shorts.  
The Commander doesn’t help, what with his excessive eyebrow wiggling.  
It’s barely audible but Chakotay is sure that he can hear Harry mutter “I’m gonna absolutely obliterate B’Elanna.” under his breath.

It doesn’t take long for Chakotay to rid the box of its last wrapping and with a glint in his eyes, he opens it.  
And stills.  
Harry’s anxiety and fear of failure are ready to bubble up when Chakotay finally moves again.  
With the utmost care and gentleness, he lifts a blanket out of the case and holds it up to the light for a minute, taking in the reflections and shimmers of the ornate decorations adorning it.  
He takes his time, as if to take in every tiny detail, while Harry waits for his opinion.  
After what feels like an eternity he speaks up, his face filled with gratitude and happiness, a sight that makes Harry’s heart ache in his chest.  
“It’s magnificent. Thank you so much, Harry. I will cherish this.”  
He searches for words, for anything to say, but overwhelmed with Chakotay looking doubtlessly divine right now, he falls back to simply nodding and smiling like an idiot.  
“This must have taken forever to program.”  
“I- uhm. Had some time.”  
With a wink, Chakotay says: “So these were those ‘problems in our route’ you were talking about some days ago, huh?”  
“Oh, uh, yeah-hu.”, he fibs halfheartedly.  
“Thank you again, Harry. I’m really lucky that you forgave me. This is beyond beautiful.”

They sit there and chat for a while, enjoying each other's company and growing ever so close, all the while Chakotay’s cradling the blanket in his hands.  
Time moves on and they grow aware of their responsibilities catching up to them. A bittersweetness soon settles in and when they finally move on, it feels like a goodbye to this moment.  
Even though this will not be their last lesson together, Chakotay tries in a last-ditch effort to stretch their alone time by asking Harry about his revenge on B’Elanna.  
“Oh, I haven’t come up with anything yet, although I would deeply appreciate some recommendations.”  
With a sly smile, Chakotay leans in and Harry is 100 percent ready for his heard to jump out of his chest. But to his disappointment, the Commander goes for his ear and whispers: “Have you heard about her betting pool?”  
“Uh…” he blinks and quickly shakes his head.  
“She has this dumb bet going on – thinking I wouldn’t find out – about who I will end up together and when.”

And suddenly the last piece clicks into place and he understands. The shorts, her betting pool, him telling her about Chakotay’s solo training.  
“That SNAKE!”  
Harry is so overtaken by the fact that B’Elanna set him and Chakotay up, that he glosses over the idea of him and the other man being seen as an item. A thought that later on, will ‘haunt’ him for the rest of his sleepless night.  
But for now, his mind is racing on methods of cheating B’Elanna and the other possible participants out of their betting prizes.   
Luckily Chakotay is already one step ahead.  
Still standing directly next to Harry, he starts to whisper of fake dates and false moments, of proposed partnerships and a cheated victory.  
And Harry can do is swoon and feel and be unquestionably charmed until he wakes up and realizes that he just agreed to a fake date on the holodeck.


	5. Not afraid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Harry finally understands that he is not the only one having trouble confessing his feelings.

He checks his image in the mirror. Again. Possibly for the hundredths time this evening.  
But he has to make sure he looks his best, has to make sure he looks like the reason a Commander and an Ensign could forget their ranks for one night.  
His heart flutters, the little wings of thousand butterflies painfully beating against his organs, ready to burst out. There is a feeling of temptation and risk, wrapped in the dawning knowledge of doing something incredibly dumb.  
But after the last lessons, their recent solo training, he has to make sure that he isn’t only imagining things. That maybe, Chakotay could feel something for him as well, an emotion that runs deeper than simple admiration and friendship.  
Why else would he have tried the little stunt with the shorts in the first place?  
He lets out a frustrated sigh and tries to focus on the here and now. If he wants to get anything out of Chakotay tonight, he has to be smooth and suave, radiating with charm and charisma until the other man is so smitten with him that he simply can’t resist.  
So his chances are basically zero.

“At least we get to cheat B’Elanna out of her dumb betting rations.”, he murmurs defeated.  
How could he ever dream of wooing a man like Chakotay?

Regardless of his low self-esteem, he leaves his quarters with a spring in his step. Every time spent with Chakotay is well spent, even if it doesn’t result in him confessing his undying love.  
At least his looks are on point, judging by the approving and outright flirtatious looks he gets.  
His tuxedo shimmers in the clinical lighting of the hallways, the Bordeaux jacket, and trousers hugging tightly around his body, bringing out his raven hair and soft features. His shoes are matted, fitting for his black undershirt and click when he enters the turbolift.  
He looks like a million bucks and he knows it.

This time the ride goes smoothly, no thoughts of failure, only the nice, patted knowledge that he is going to spend an entire evening with his crush. And even though he can’t be sure of Chakotay’s exact feelings toward him, he knows that the other man at least considers him something akin to a friend.  
So when he steps out the lift and sees the back of what he presumes to be the Commander, he can’t help but smile brightly.

Chakotay must have heard the doors opening because with a lazy grace he turns around and it feels like a train collides with Harry.  
The man looks dashingly gorgeous.  
He too went all in and plundered the replicator for the most stunning combo he could find, in his case a black satin suit, complemented by a golden ornated vest and a red pendant around his neck. His broad shoulders are being perfectly accentuated by the cut, while still preventing his huge stature from looking too massive.  
The final touch is the carefully drawn guyliner around his dark eyes, giving him the last bit of edge.  
Harry can feel his knees going weak and his confidence taking a dive out of the airlock.  
Yet as he steps closer, it almost seems as Chakotay is the one who can’t take his eyes of _him._  
“Commander.”  
“Ensign.”  
They stand there and smile at each other like two love-stricken idiots, not minding the whispers around them.  
In one smooth motion, Chakotay bends his right arm, takes Harry’s left one, and links it with his own, finishing the gesture with a pat on Harry’s hand.  
“Now that everyone got a good glimpse at us, shall we go?”  
Chakotay asks, looking Harry directly into the eyes and grinning playfully, which sends warm tingles down the Ensign’s spine.  
“Let’s go!”

Arm in arm they enter the holodeck and as the door closes behind them, all their worries seem forgotten.  
“What do you think?”  
For the first time this evening, Harry makes an effort to tear his gaze away from Chakotay and is rewarded with a serene, picturesque scene straight out of a painting.  
Contrary to their fancy suits, their date takes place on an undisturbed camp side by the cliffs, the ocean waves softly lapping at the beach below.  
A single picnic table adorns the site, two benches next to it.  
Chakotay, still linked to him, gently leads them over and as they near the table, basked in the setting sun, Harry can make out a small candle enclosed by glass, two plates and cutlery, two glasses, and an ominous bottle between them. Flower buds and berries are sprinkled all around the table, reminding Harry of the old fairy stories he used to read.  
Finally, he remembers that he still owes Chakotay an answer.  
He beams up at the other man: “ It’s beautiful, I don’t think anybody ever put so much effort into a date with me. I can’t believe it. It’s so perfect.”  
Hearing this seems to satisfy Chakotay because he carefully squeezes Harry’s arm and grins down at him. “I’m just glad you like it.”  
Both of them have forgotten the ‘fake’ part of their date already and when they sit down, Harry is almost sad that he has to let go of Chakotay’s arm.  
The loss is, however, overcome soon thereafter, when Chakotay turns up at his side, wrapping Harry in a soft blanket against the cold and pouring water into his glass.

It feels almost dreamlike.

They settle into a light-minded conversation, sipping water and talking about their day until Chakotay stands up and serves the first course, a digestible walnut salat with mushrooms and lingonberries.  
And suddenly there is no more water in his glass, but a warming swig of Andorian ale.  
As the alcohol enters their veins, their topics grow more hearty and every so often a laugh escapes their lips.  
It doesn’t take the second course for Harry to comfortably sit next to Chakotay and by the dessert, he can feel the other man’s arm around his shoulder, steadily pressing them closer together.  
There are no people here, no B’elanna to prove the success of this ‘fake’ date, and yet they can’t keep their hands to themselves. Occasional touches, shoulders at first, fingers later on, and even a strand of hair being softly tucked behind Chakotay’s ear.  
The chemistry is undeniable, all it needs is one last push, however, none of them seems to be able to do just that.

And so the sun settles to a preoccupied audience, none of them carrying for the last beams of light vanishing behind the horizon. Only when the fireflies come out, do they notice the change.

“It’s grown dark.”  
“Hm.” Chakotay only hums.  
“How much time has passed, what do you think?”  
“Too much.”  
Harry chuckles into Chakotay’s side. So it’s not only him, who wants this evening to never end.  
The silence between them gives way to the waves and an idea sneaks itself into Harry’s consciousness. “Do you know what would make this already perfect ~~date~~ evening even better?”  
Curious Chakotay sits back up and glances at Harry through half-lidded eyes, looking incredibly sexy while doing so.  
“Have you ever taken a swim in the ocean at night?”   
With a sly smile, Chakotay responds: “Hm, maybe. But I think the memory needs some refreshing. You?”  
“Not yet. However, I would gladly be of service in jogging that memory of yours.”

They end up racing to the beach in a drunken fever, giggling and laughing as they stumble through the sand. Harry is the first to make it out of his tux and as he stands there naked except for his pants, he suddenly grows aware of what he’s doing.  
This is not exactly a fake date anymore.  
His abrupt halt makes Chakotay stop as well, halfway done with unbuttoning his shirt.  
“This is not exactly a fake date anymore, is it?”  
The question throws Chakotay back into the harsh reality, the shock an unwelcoming awakening.  
“No. Not really.”  
They both know what they are doing. And that now is the last chance to make a decision, before they go in too deep.  
It is now or never.  
And for once it’s Chakotay searching for the right words, fiddling with the buttons of his shirt and it’s Harry crossing the distance between them and gripping the collar of that damned shirt.  
Chakotay’s hands on his hips, their faces inches away from each other and their lips so close, so unbearably close.  
The next moment their mouths crash together like the waves behind them, a swirl of taste and sensation as they hold on to each other, too afraid to break apart.  
There isn’t enough of the other to explore and too much to stop, so they stand there for an eternity until they can finally break free.

It feels like tasting air for the first time, after being underwater for too long. It is the most precious and natural feeling, a craving they have waited for too long.  
Yet they both don’t know what to say. Instead, Chakotay simply rests his forehead against Harry’s and they enjoy the moment until one of them speaks up again.  
It’s Chakotay.  
“You know what beats swimming in the sea at night?”  
Harry chooses to play along and expectantly shakes his head, a big smile on his lips.  
“Kissing in the sea at night.”  
Before Harry can even react, Chakotay lifts him up and throws him into the waves, giggling like a maniac. Not a second after he sheds his suit and reveals, much to Harry’s delight, obscenely short, obscenely red shorts, he jumps into the water next to his love.  
Strong arms wrap around Harry’s waist as he’s lifted up once more and he braces himself on the broad shoulders carrying him. And as the water dances around them, they kiss once more, continuing through the night, the ship around them completely forgotten.

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant as a birthday gift to the awesome Robin, who is one of my best friends out there!  
> Thank you so much for tagging along and inspiring the RBCU, you are truly the coolest, dopest person out there.  
> Once again Happy Birth ajshasd belated.


End file.
